Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado announced on social media that her colleague Juan Pablo Guanipa has been kidnapped just hours after his release from detention. Guanipa, who leads the Justice First party, was allegedly seized by heavily armed men in the Los Chorros neighborhood of Caracas.
According to Machado, the group arrived in four vehicles and forcibly took Guanipa away, prompting outrage among Venezuela's opposition ranks. Guanipa had recently been released after spending eight months in prison and was one of several political prisoners liberated since the United States imposed sanctions on the Venezuelan government led by Nicolás Maduro in January.
Following the abduction, Guanipa's party condemned the incident, labeling it as an act of repression by what they termed the 'dictatorship' of the current regime. They indicated that those accompanying Guanipa reported seeing weapons aimed at them prior to the leader's abduction.
Justice First also pointed fingers at key government officials, holding them accountable for Guanipa's safety and called on the international community to demand his immediate release and a cessation of the ongoing persecution of opposition figures in Venezuela.
This event marks a grim reminder of the dangers faced by Venezuelan politicians who oppose the current government's actions. Just hours before his abduction, Guanipa's family had expressed relief at his return. His son, Ramón, shared on social media that the family was hopeful to reunite soon, but now he has demanded proof of his father's well-being online, asserting responsibility on the regime for any harm that may come to Guanipa.
This incident is part of a broader context in which political repression has been used as a tool to quash dissent and silence critics in Venezuela. Guanipa's previous detention stemmed from charges of terrorism and treason after he contested the 2024 election results, showing the high stakes for those engaged in opposition politics in the country.
According to Machado, the group arrived in four vehicles and forcibly took Guanipa away, prompting outrage among Venezuela's opposition ranks. Guanipa had recently been released after spending eight months in prison and was one of several political prisoners liberated since the United States imposed sanctions on the Venezuelan government led by Nicolás Maduro in January.
Following the abduction, Guanipa's party condemned the incident, labeling it as an act of repression by what they termed the 'dictatorship' of the current regime. They indicated that those accompanying Guanipa reported seeing weapons aimed at them prior to the leader's abduction.
Justice First also pointed fingers at key government officials, holding them accountable for Guanipa's safety and called on the international community to demand his immediate release and a cessation of the ongoing persecution of opposition figures in Venezuela.
This event marks a grim reminder of the dangers faced by Venezuelan politicians who oppose the current government's actions. Just hours before his abduction, Guanipa's family had expressed relief at his return. His son, Ramón, shared on social media that the family was hopeful to reunite soon, but now he has demanded proof of his father's well-being online, asserting responsibility on the regime for any harm that may come to Guanipa.
This incident is part of a broader context in which political repression has been used as a tool to quash dissent and silence critics in Venezuela. Guanipa's previous detention stemmed from charges of terrorism and treason after he contested the 2024 election results, showing the high stakes for those engaged in opposition politics in the country.
